


How Newsies Should Have Ended

by fandomtrashiness



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe-Different Ending, M/M, Some Swearing, got some jackcrutchie fluff, how newsies SHOULD have ended
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 11:32:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14933423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomtrashiness/pseuds/fandomtrashiness
Summary: How Newsies should have ended, or Jackcrutchie is REAL





	How Newsies Should Have Ended

**Author's Note:**

> Here's how Newsies should have ended! With some beautiful jackcrutchie! (Jack's POV)

"And if I was a boy, you'd be looking at me through one swollen eye!" Katherine practically shouts, holding her fist up in front of my face.

"Well don't let that stop you! Give me your best shot!" I push my face closer to her, her fist pressed up against my chin. There's no way she'll actually punch me, right?

She punches me. Not that hard, but definitely harder than I was expecting.

"Shit!" I bring my hand up to my cheek. That's gonna leave yet another bruise.

"Jack! I'm sorry, I didn't-" Katherine backs away and starts apologizing.

"It's fine, Kath." I say. "I asked for it."

"I just- I need to know you didn't cave for the money." She says finally. I pause for a moment.

"I spoke the truth. Look, you win a fight when ya got the other fella down eatin' pavement. You heard your father, it don't matter how many days we strike, he ain't never givin' up. I don't know what else we can do." I stare down into my palms, as if I might see the answer there. It's all hopeless! Crutchie's in the Refuge, all of my newsies hate me for bein' a sellout, an' Pulitzer is never gonna give up.

"No, but I do." Katherine smirks at me.

"Come on," I start to protest.

"Really, Jack? Really." Katherine stares me down. "Only you can have a good idea? Or is it because I'm a girl?"

"I didn't-" I start to say.

"Now would be a good time to shut up." Katherine holds her hand in front of my face to stop me from talking. I nod and she removes her hand. "Being a boss doesn't mean you have all the answers, just the brain to recognize the right one when you hear it."

"I'm listening."

"Good for you!" Katherine speaks to me like I'se is a child. "Now, the strike was your idea, the rally was Davey's, and now my plan will take us to the finish line. Deal with it." She hands me a piece of paper.

"The Children' Crusade." I read out loud.

"'For the sake of all the kids in every sweatshop, factory, and slaughterhouse in New York, I beg you, join us'." Katherine says proudly.

"That was me." I say blankly.

"With those words, the strike stopped being just about the newsies!" Katherine says excitedly. "You challenged our whole generation to stand up and demand a place at the table."

"The Children's Crusade..." I say again, still trying to understand what Katherine is saying.

"Think, Jack. If we publish this, my words, with one of your drawings!" Katherine goes over to my art tube and pulls out a few sheets of paper. "And if every worker under 21 read it and stayed home from work- or better yet, they came to Newsies Square for a rally! A general, citywide strike! Even my father couldn't ignore that!"

"Only one problem," I point out, "We got no way ta print it."

"Oh, come one. There has to be one printing press he doesn't control." Katherine insists.

"Oh no..." I say softly, remembering my brief stay in the Pulitzer cellar.

 

 

_"You can sleep right here, on this old printin' press!" Morris shouts. "Now that there is firm." He smirks at me. I glare at the two brothers. The leave, cracking their knuckles menacingly. Punks._

 

"What?" Katherine asks, snapping me out of my own head.

"I know where there's a printin' press no one would ever think we'd use!" I say, laughing. Using his own press to defeat him.

"Then why are we still standing here?" Katherine asks, scrambling over to the ladder. "Come on!" I follow here down the ladder and into the fourth floor of the Lodging House.

 

******

 

"Each generation must, at the height of its power, aside and allow the young to share the day. You have lad way to our world. Now, I believe the future, in your hands, will be bright and prosperous." The governor says to the assembled crowd. And then he turns to me. I straighten my posture a bit. "And your drawings, son," He called me son! The governor called me son! I beam with pride. "Have brought another matter to end. Officers, if you please!" Roosevelt shouts the last sentence out to an approaching carriage. A police whistle blows, and everyone turns to look.

"Hey Jack, look!! It's Crutchie!" Race shouts happily.

And it is. Crutchie bounds into the square, covered in bruises but looking as happy as ever. I've never been happier to see him in my life. I consider running down immediately to embrace him, but I'se isn't sure if that would be rude to the governor. It takes all of my willpower not to run to Crutchie.

"Hiya fellas!" Crutchie exclaims. "Ya miss me?" He asks. Everyone cheers. "And look what I got for ya. I gift, straight from the Refuge. Bring 'im in, boys!" Two police officers step forward, holding none other than Snyder the Spider.

There he is. He's struggling against the bulls's grip, cursing and glaring at all of the newsies. The man who has brought me so much pain, so much suffering, finally being arrested.

"It's Snyder the Spider!" Race exclaims. It's good that he's talking. Race had things at the Refuge almost as bad as me, and I know he still gets nightmares too. Everyone, in fact, has suffered in one way or another at the hands of the Spider.

"He ain't so tough no more, is he?" Mush teases. Snyder tries once more to lunge away from the bulls. Mush and Race back away.

"Jack, with those drawings, you made an eloquent argument for shutting down the Refuge. Be assured that Mr. Snyder's abuses will be fully investigated. Officers, take him away." Roosevelt commands. The bulls start hauling Snyder away, but Crutchie steps forward. He takes off his cap and puts it over his heart.

"Please, your highness, may I do the honors?" Crutchie asks. God, I love him. Like a brother, obviously. It's illegal to think like that. I shake my head, trying to clear the thoughts away.

Roosevelt nods at Crutchie's request, and Snyder rolls his eyes as Crutchie steps toward him.

"You've got to be joking." Snyder growls as Crutchie takes a pair of handcuffs from one of the bulls.

"Then you'll be laughing, all the way to the pen, little man!" Crutchie says, fastening the metal tightly around Snyder's wrists. I'se is suddenly reminded of all of the times Snyder locked identical cuffs around my own wrists. I subconsciously rub my wrists at the memory, feeling the tiny scars.

"So long, sucker!" Crutchie shouts, kicking Snyder in the ass as the bulls take him away. I can't help it. I run to Crutchie and hug him, lifting him off the ground.

"I missed ya Crutch." I whisper in his ear.

"I missed ya too, Jackie." Crutchie whispers back.

"Thank you, Governor." I say, releasing Crutchie.

"Hey, if one of our drawings convince the governor to shut down the Refuge, I wonder what a daily political cartoon would do to expose the dealings in our own government's back rooms? What do you say, Teddy? Care to have this young man's artistry shine a light behind your closed doors?" Pulitzer muses.

"Hey, hey, don't sweat it, Gov." I say. "With the strike settled, I should probably be hittin' the road." I did it. The strike is over, I can leave, just like I've always wanted to.

"Don't you ever get tired of singing the same old tune?" Davey asks, walking up to me. "I mean, what's Santa Fe got that New York ain't? Tarantulas?"

"Or better yet, what's New York got that Sanat Fe ain't?" Crutchie says.

"New York's got us. And we're family." Katherine points out.

"Didn't I hear something about the strike being settled?" Pulitzer asks, heading back into his building.

"Papes for the newsies! Line up boys!" Weasel calls from behind the distribution window. Everyone starts lining up, and Katherine follows Davey. It's jus' me an' Crutchie now.

"Come along, governor." Miss Medda says brightly, taking the governor's arm. "And why don't you show me that backseat I've been hearing so much about?" Governor Roosevelt laughs a deep, booming laugh as he and Miss Medda walk away, probably back to the theatre.

"Well don't jus' stand there, you'se got a union ta run!" Crutchie encourages. "An' didn't ya jus' get a pretty excitin' job offer?"

"What? Ya mean workin' for Katherine's father?" I ask.

"You already work for her father." Crutchie says.

"Oh yeah."

"And you've got one more ace up your sleeve."

"And what would that be?"

"Me. Wherever you go, I'se is right there, by your side."

"For sure?"

"For sure."

"Don't take much ta be a dreamer, all you do is close your eyes. But some made-up world is all you'll ever see. An' my eyes is finally open, an' my dreams, they'se average sized. But they don't much matter, if you ain't wit' me." I say, staring into Crutchie's deep blue eyes.

We both lean in at the same time, letting our lips meet. I close my eyes, letting myself be wrapped up in the moment. All that matters now is me an' Crutchie. I'll stay in New York for 'im. We might go ta Santa Fe someday, but it won't matter so long as we'se is togethah.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment or kudos if you enjoyed :)


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